All Souls Day is an annual reminder that our deceased loved ones are in the hands of God. Will Hayes, SJ reflects how this special feast day reminds us of an eternal truth: we have a God who remembers. Based on the readings for The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.
We have a God who remembers – especially the forgotten.
Hi, I’m Will Hayes and this is my one-minute reflection.
As a child, every All Souls Day, my home parish held Mass in the local cemetery. A stone altar and crucifix stood among the tombs, some decorated, others untouched for years. I remember bringing bright flowers to my grandparents’ grave. I don’t know if they’re in Heaven, But I do know Jesus’ promise: “Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life.”
All Souls Day reminds us that we are one community—living and dead, known and unknown. Even the forgotten graves hold souls beloved by God.
Today, we’re invited to see the face of Christ, to believe, and to trust in His mercy for those we remember and those held in the eternal memory of God. Take comfort in knowing that we have a God who remembers.